Schools` Publix Receipts Adding Up To Computers

Those green cash-register receipts from Publix are paying for computers in Broward County schools, despite the hurdles public school parents faced in collecting them.

Griffin Elementary School in Cooper City is the first of many schools expecting to receive Apple computers in exchange for Publix receipts. On Monday, Griffin will get two new Apple IIe computer drives in exchange for $350,000 worth of grocery receipts.

But Griffin parents had a difficult time collecting the receipts at first, said Renee Grutman, president of the Griffin Parent-Teacher Association. Broward School Superintendent Sam Morgan`s screening committee had banned advertising of the receipt collection drive at school, saying schools should not be used for advertising. The rule later was softened.

``I went out to talk to parents as they pick up their children from school,`` Grutman said. ``I almost got run over.``

The program was designed as a partnership between Publix and Apple. For $175,000 in receipts, a school can get the Apple IIe, a computer system that would cost a school $930 to buy from the school system`s contract.

The Publix program also offers computer equipment and software.

Nova Blanche Forman Elementary School in Davie will receive a $480 printer for $65,000 in receipts next week. And St. Bartholomew Catholic School in Miramar, which has its whole parish contributing receipts each Sunday, will receive a printer and software through the program.

The program, which started on Jan. 11 and continues through May 26, has been used in 46 states.